Squire Woods Lamentation - Celtic Harp tune by Carolan

[TheWhooly]

This book does already exist, it is by Turlough O' Carolan (1670-1738). DAs buch ist eines aus der Serie "harpa mundi".

[MarkHarmer]

@TheWhooly Carolan wrote melodies only, so every harpist will play their own arrangements. I think kpskfi was asking if I would make a book of my version of this, and I will - I'm working on it but it is not available yet. Any harpist is of course free to make their own arrangements, or learn my arrangement by ear (as long as they credit me with it).

[XavierBrezniak]

moly moly moly mole

[kpskfi]

Mr. Harmer, you should make a book of your arrangements. They're all fantastic!

[MarkHarmer]

@kpskfi thank you! I'm slowly working on a book!

[topito2]

Dear Sir, you have a great talent!!!! May god bless you and may God bless irish music!!!

[roki0223]

I like this beautiful tune, and your playing is great!!!

I played it on acoustic guitar several years ago, so I will upload in near days.

Thanks.

[sylphaen]

I do so love all your harp solos. I hope that you will post more of them :) What a talent.

[MarkHarmer]

Thank you! I've just altered the details in the "more" link to give a link to a high-definition version. It's really worth a look as the picture is much, much better. Will do more, promise!! Glad you liked it and thanks for your comment.

[remiqaine]

Absolutely captivating... takes you back to a simpler time.

Thank you

[caranfinand]

Life was never simpler, or easier. It's just that we sometimes forget it isn't as complicated as we think it is. And music can bring it into perspective.

And may I just say that the settings for these videos are amazing? I just watched the one with the bluebells, but this is is even more dramatic. Great music, but amazing sets.

[MarkHarmer]

Thank you! This scene is just set in my living room - one light and a candle. As a matter of interest I found it affected my playing - which made it a real pleasure to do. It made it feel very quiet, and it was about 1am by the time I finished it.

[Clereece]

Sent here by Tahllulah -- beautiful! Favorited

[dunlapgal]

The harp is always beautiful and peaceful. Enjoyed it much. Thank you.

[MarkHarmer]

Thank you! I recorded it between 12 and 2 am - and that and the candlelight meant I felt pretty peaceful playing it, when not falling over the camera and microphones!!

[Minniver]

Tahllulah and Sainter sent me and I am so gratedul this was beautiful :)

[Summer9293]

sainter1 pointed me toward your video. It is beautiful, thanks for sharing your music.

[dunlapgal]

Sainter1 sent it to me. I'll have to come back to watch. It kept loading but wouldn't play. ?

[MarkHarmer]

Thanks for letting me know - it's now been repaired by those kind YouTube people!!!

[Pookieftw]

Tahllulah pointed me in this direction and I'm glad she did. Very peaceful. Thank you for sharing with us all!

[MarkHarmer]

Thank you (all!!). I'm really delighted that you like it, and there's a powerful reminder for me that the context of a piece of music is so important and adds meaning to it.

I have a couple of other ideas for recordings and a location, so hope to produce more soon. Each recording takes about a day to shoot / edit etc, and I can only do them once I'm happy with the arrangement, hence new ones appear only occasionally!!

[LizBizToo]

Little wonder that the harp is associated with heaven!

A heavenly sound and inspiration; thank you Tahllulah, Sainter1, and Mark, for sharing:)

[ovationceleb]

Outstanding... I'll pass this on to a Clarsach player friend of mine. Sainter1 sent me too! Cheers.

[payit4ward]

Sainter sent me.....

Magical : )

Billy....xx

[MotherReiver]

Tahllulah and Sainter1 sent me and now I see why; you play beautifully - this is a wonderful video - thank you so much for sharing; the arrangement was quite spiritual :)

[sainter1]

What a magical work of art this video is. You play superbly, and the historical significance of the subject matter with regard to your arrangement places it on an even higher plane. Thx for sharing.

[RiverBirch1967]

You send so many people here, but it is the music that speaks. Thank you for sending us all this link and letting us "hear history."

[absinthedrunk]

hello, tahllulah sent me this perfect video! i'm so glad she did, i very much enjoyed this! i subscribed and i look forward to getting to know your work. thanks for this wonderful work.

[newt15]

just lovely...newt =)

[photonXspark]

Beautiful!!! I always enjoy hearing you play! Harp is one of the instruments that I must learn before I die!

That, and cello, and a whole bunch of others lol

[MarkHarmer]

Thank you! I want to learn Nyckelharpa (now I know how to to spell it!) but there are tons of great instruments out there - more than a whole lifetime's worth...

[MarkHarmer]

PS I definitely recommend the high-definition version - see in the "more" link to the right of the video window.

[MarkHarmer]

Thank you! You're right about the flat 7th. There's another accidental too, in some versions, which I leave out of this piece. But I agree, that particular one's an odd one! I enjoy doing the videos but I have a "rule" that I always record a complete "take" of the music, and that's the one I use unless it totally falls apart, in which case I just play it again. Keeps me on my toes.

[troubleclef]

Mark, you put so much care and attention into your playing and your videos. I'm always so impressed. That must be some interesting mode that that's written in. The odd and remarkable thing is that flat 7 (?) that happens twice in the piece (second time is at 2:38 or so). What an odd little moment. Great playing.

[Tahllulah]

How glorious...thank you for sharing your gift with us..

[MarkHarmer]

Hi Tahllulah - that's a pleasure. I've really enjoyed doing these arrangements and I hope others are inpired to write - and post! - their own.

[LVanMaren]

Lovely and a new Carolan for me. I love the full title. You should let the harp ring at the end and let the credits come on with the sound of the fading notes. I think dampening at the end is highly over rated. :-)

[MarkHarmer]

Hadn't thought about that! It's normal practice to do this when playing live so the audience knows when the piece has finished.

[MarkHarmer]

Sounds like a great idea. Not one I know, so I'll look it up today and start to get my head around it.

I've also got another lamentation which I might do on my wire-strung harp. The suggestions are really helpful - thank you!!

[TheWhistleCollector]

that sounds great, didn't O'Carolan use the wires instead of nylon, or guts back then?

[TheWhistleCollector]

another great video, and wonderful playing. i absolutely love the candle light, sets the mood. can i request Carolan's Farewell?

[MarkHarmer]

Thank you, Kiraela! It was just the candle and one other lamp - I did it really late at night and it seemed a really nice time of day to record this.

[kiraela]

I absolutely love the way thou didst this video. With the candle the only apparent source of illumination, the glow too strong for it to have cast appears as if a light from heaven. This one is framed in such a way as to appear mysterious. Not to mention, thy playing only seems to get better(quite impressive, really. thou wert marvelous to begin with!)